Electrical advertising device.



' F. SCHNEIBLE.

ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13,1916.

Patented. May15, 191?.

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FRANK SCHNEIBLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO 0. A. SCHNEIBLE, INQ, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL ADVERTISING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1%17.

Application filed January 13, 1916. Serial No. 71,850.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SoHNEIBLn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan of the city of New, York, in the State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Electrical Advertising Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to a device which, for convenience, has been styled an advertising device, although as this description proceeds it will appear that its usefulness extends beyond this field. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the applica tion of such a device to liquid dispensing apparatus, and principally, beer faucets. Understanding the general scope of the invention, its preferred application only will be referred to hereinafter, and the description of the structure in use will be confined to the improved device in association with a beer faucet. Thus far, brewers have had to rely, for their advertising, on ordinary signs, name plates, labels, etc., which might or might not have had associated with them electrical flashing means, and such advertisements, amounting to mere announcements, have become so common as to remain unnoticed, for the most part, by casual observers. Such advertisement-s have now assumed places in the bar as fixtures and attract no more attention from the average customer than the bar counter itself. It is the object of this invention to provide an advertising medium which shall be of such a distinctlve character and bear such .a unique relation to the withdrawal of beer for the customer as to impress itself upon the consciousness of the customer, in a manner so startling as to insure attentive interest by him. The primary result sought, of course, is the repeated presentation to the customer of the distinctive insignia of the manufacturer of the particular beer which is dispensed until this insignia becomes so associated in the customers mind with such beer as to make him a permanent customer and establish so fixedly in his mind, the association of the brand mark with the beer, as to make him dissatisfied. with any beer which may be dispensed without the telltale check furnished by the simultaneous display in a startling manner, of the brand each brand mark is visible to mark. Incidentally, of course, it is proposed that the improved advertising device shall be so conspicuous in its character as not to be limited in its appeal to the customer for whom the beer is withdrawn, but also to be visible generally to all others at the bar counter, so that its advertising value is not confined to such customer. Again, where the device is applied to more than one faucet from which beer is being dispensed, so clifferent brand marks are displayed from time to time according to the demands for the particular brew, the general interest of all of the customers at the ban is aroused, since every one upon its display, as to which of the several brews has the greatest demand, as indicated by the number of times its-brand mark is over a period of time. A further purpose served by the improved advertising device is, as indicated, to furnish the customer with a telltale check on the bartender, the display of the brand mark being brought about automatically by the act of withdrawing the particular beer called for. of the devices are employed at a single bar counter, there will be a separate light for each one of the pipes from which the beer is withdrawn so that the appropriate brand mark is displayed startlingly upon the withdrawal from the corresponding pipe of the beer called for. In accordance with the present invention there is provided in fixed relation to the beer faucet and between the bartender and the customer, an electric TVhere several displayed light, on the bulb of which is displayed the distinctive insignia of a manufacturer or his brew, this insigniabeing in plain sight of. the customer and all others along. the front of the bar and being displayed startlingly whenever the lamp is lighted.

The circuit of the electric lamp isintended to be controlled by-the act of the bartender in withdrawing beer from the faucet with which the advertising device is associated, as by the throwing of a switch upon manipulation of the handle, or the grounding of the circuit through the outfl'o wing liquid.

As this description proceeds, it will be evident that other ways of bringing about the display intended, upon-the withdrawal of the beer, may be employed, but for the purposes of this application it has been deemed suflicient to illustrate the two methods indicated. Reference is now to be had the bartender and the customer.

to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of these two embodiments, in which Figure 1 is afragmentary, view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, of a faucet on which is mounted directly the improved advertising device, parts being broken out in some places 1n the interest of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a view generally similar to. Fig. 1 but showing a somewhat modified form of electrical means and control therefor.

It may be supposed that the faucet a is carried on the end of a beer supply pipe I) at the rear side of the bar counter so as to be mounted within easy reach of the bartender for manipulation of the handle 0 and serving of the beer withdrawn through the nozzle 0', in accordance with customary practice, the only requirement of the present invention as to the mounting of the faucet being that it preferably be between plest form, the improved advertising device is carried directly on the faucet a and to this end, the illustrated faucet has cast on its upper side a threaded socket a into which is screwed a metal cylinder e of such size and dimensions as to receive a source" insignia, name or other device on the globe g, illustrated in the drawings as a star g, stand out in bold relief and convey its message to all of those standing at the bar.

As indicated before, the invention is not to be limited to the circuit provided for the lamp, nor to the control of this circuit but, for the purposes of this application, two types of electrical control have been illustrated. The first type, shown in Fig. 1, may be termed the mechanical control, in that the manipulation of the handle 0 of the faucet a brings about the closing of the lamp circuit by'mechanical action, that is, by movement of, a controlling switch. The other type, illustrated in Fig. 2, will be described later. In Fig. 1, one pole f of the battery f is in electrical contact -with a conductor 7' which is insulated from all of the metal of. the faucet and'its associated parts, as by a rubber sleeve in, and the conductor f carries at its free end a flexible contact piece or switch P, which normally is also out of electrical contact with the faucet and its associated parts, so as to leave the circuit In the simopen. In the illustrated form, the electrical devices just described are incorporated in the faucet by castingthe same with a circumferentially or diametrically extending conduit a in which rests the insulating sleeve is, as described. Other means for mounting the various conductors and contact pieces in operative relation to the cooperating elements may be employed. The contact piece f rests inoperative relation to the metal of the faucet a and, if desired, may carry a terminal piece f arranged to engage a terminal piece a on the faucet, when the switch is closed. Theclosing of the switch is effected mechanically, by movement of the faucet'handle 0. The frame of this handle carries a flange 0, the end of which is brought into physical engagement with the contact piece 7, when the handle is moved, continued movement of the handle serving to force-the contact piece f into electrical contact with the metal of the faucet, as at the contact piece f*. The other pole f of the cell f, it should be pointed out, is in electrical engagement with the lamp filament z', while the other end of the filament is grounded on the supporting socket h therefor. I

The structure described, while merely illustrative of one way of accomplishing the desired display, will serve for a description of the advantageous features of the improved deviee. With the parts shown in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the circuit is opened and the'globe is dark. In this condition, it will be evident that the insignia g displayed onthevglobe will attract no more attention from the casual observerthan will the usual signs, labels, etc., now commonly employed for advertising purposes. If a customer asksfor Star brand beer, or'whatever the insignia may indicate, the bartender will manipulate the handle 0 in the usual manner and, through the flange 0, close the circuit through the contact piece f thereby lighting the filament z" and causing the sudden and brilliant illumiis its first change from a state of darkness to one of illumination, so that, if by any chance the'eye is not caught by its illumination, it will be caught by the extinguishing of the light. The display of the brand mark 1n association with the particular faucet from which the corresponding beer is withdrawn is not only of importancein bringing the mark visually and in such startling fashion before the eyes of the customers and thereby serving as an advertisementof great value, but it is also of importance as a telltale check upon the bartender since it brings to the eye of the customer an indication of the particular beer which is being dispensed. Necessarily he will require that the brand mark displayed in the startling manner be the one indicative of. the brew called for. Constant association of this mark with the preferred brew will, therefore, advertise this brew in the most eflective manner possible, serve as a satisfactory indication to the customer of the brew dispensed, and result in such a dependence on some visual check, by the customer, as to make him demand beer which, in its dispensing, has associated with it, some such visual telltale.

The embodiment shown in Fig. :2 serves as a good illustration of one of the many possible modifications in the electrical devices employed since that embodiment does not depend for any mechanical actuation of the conductors or their equivalents, for the closing of the circuit of the lamp and the consequent flashing of the advertising device. On the contrary, it relies solely upon the outflowing liquid for the completion of the cir-. cuit. Incidentally the electrode through which the current becomes grounded on the liquid, is beyond the controlling valve, so that the valve must be opened -to'permit the dispensing of liquid before the circuit is closed. As soon as the flow of liquid is cut ofi, of course, the ground is broken and the lamp extinguished, as pointed out in connection with the operation of the device shown in F ig.- 1. In Fig. 2, the lamp 2' is supported on a suitable bracket I which may, in turn, be carried directly on the faucet A," and derive its current directly from some central source, such as a storage battery 'F, one pole of the lamp being grounded on the metal bracket? and the other pole being insulated therefrom but connected to the battery as through the wire F. The otherelectrode of the battery is connected, as through a conductor F to a fixed terminal F which is supported in an insulating collar m in an opening A formed in the faucet A. The insulating collar m is set in the faucet at some point beyond the controlling valve C and is preferably arranged so as to support the exposed electrode F 3 at such a point in -the light z' is normally open.

the nozzle D as to prevent the accumulation of drippings, etc., about said electrode after the liquid has been cut ofi. As shown in Fig. 2, this electrode F 3 is mounted in'the upper side of the nozzle D right over the bend, so that the liquid will drop away from it when out off and, if there is any accumulation of drippings, it cannot be in the vicinity of the electrode.

In using the advertising device shown in Fig. 2, it will be evident that the circuit of When the valve 0 is turned by manipulation by the bartender, the outflowing liquid will pass overlthe exposed electrode F 3 and ground the circuit so as to complete it and thereby light the lamp 2'. The globe, y will thus he suddenly illuminated, as pointed out with respect to the other embodiment and will remain illuminated until the valve C is .cut off, whereupon the circuit will again be broken and the globe 9 will be instantly dimmed inan equally sudden manner.

'It has been sought to point out clearly the general means proposed for the producing of the desired results, and to emphasize the wide range of equivalents which may be employed for causing indicating flashes upon.

the withdrawal of beer, since the illustrated forms of apparatus are intended only to show two waysof attaining these advantageous results. It is to be noted particularly that the invention is not tobe limited to the mounting of the advertising device directly 7 upon the faucet from which is drawn the beer to be advertised, but that such advertising device may be mounted, with perhaps equal effectiveness, insome other advantageous position with. relation to the faucet and the customer. Other rearrangements of parts and substitutions of equivalents may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention provided the startling effects sought for are produced by electrical means, the condition of which is changed automatically upon the withdrawal of a liquid. The appended claim indicates with greater definiteness the scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

An electrical advertising device for liquids to'be dispensed comprising in combination with a faucet, a visual globe hearing distinctive insignia thereon mounted directly on the faucet between the attendant and the customer, an electric light to illuminate the globe, and means to change the connipulation ofthe handle of the faucet. 

